- TikTok creator Joel (@joelhustle) spent eight hours delivering Walmart orders to earn $100 for a family grocery challenge.
- He used the full amount at Walmart and purchased staples for his family, spending $99.72.
- The haul sparked debate over food prices, product quality, private-label brands and the household essentials not included in the trip.
Joel’s $100 Walmart Grocery Challenge
TikTok creator Joel, known online as @joelhustle, shared a video showing how much food he could buy with the $100 he earned after spending eight hours on a side hustle. Joel has four children and is expecting his fifth child, and he said he was trying to stock up on groceries for his family.
Although Joel has a full-time job, he said he takes on additional work to support his family. One of his side hustles involves delivering Walmart grocery orders to customers. For the experiment, he spent eight hours completing grocery deliveries and earning $100 before taking that money back to Walmart to buy food for his own household.
@joelhustle How much food can $100 actually buy at Walmart in 2026? ?? I took the money I made delivering Walmart orders for 8 HOURS and brought it BACK to Walmart to spend the whole thing on groceries for my family… Watch till the end to see everything I was able to get. ?? #walmart #groceries #groceryshopping #family #budget ♬ original sound – joelhustle
The video received more than 828,000 likes and 25,000 comments. During the shopping trip, Joel purchased several basic grocery items, including spaghetti noodles, pasta sauce, milk, cheese and meat. He filled several bags and kept the final total just below his budget at $99.72.
Viewers Debate What $100 Can Buy
Joel’s grocery haul prompted surprise from some viewers, who said he managed to purchase a substantial amount of food for less than $100.
“How is food so cheap there?” one user asked. “100 bucks almost full cart.. that’s good to me,” another wrote.
Other commenters said the total may have been influenced by the brands and products Joel selected. One viewer referred to Walmart’s private-label Great Value brand, writing, “Ok but Great Value, and please look at the ingredient list,” Another commenter questioned the quality of the eggs Joel bought, writing, “I’ve bought those eggs and they seemed very watery,”
The discussion also included comparisons between grocery prices in the United States and those in other countries. “Was I lied to? I was told groceries are expensive in America,” one person commented.
What the Walmart Grocery Haul Did Not Include
Some viewers noted that Joel’s shopping trip focused on food and did not include several household necessities that can significantly increase the cost of a larger grocery restock.
“This ain’t toilet paper, diapers, cleaning supplies, or soap and other hygiene items … add all that stuff and it’s well over $200,” one commenter wrote.
Others suggested that Joel stayed within the $100 limit by prioritizing basic ingredients instead of snacks and other higher-priced items. Some viewers also criticized the quality of the groceries, with one commenter writing, “Keep in mind this is some of the worst quality food you can get,”
Joel’s video showed how far a $100 budget went during one Walmart shopping trip, while the comments illustrated how grocery spending can vary depending on the items purchased, the store selected and the brands chosen.
Why This Matters
The Walmart grocery challenge highlights the difference between buying basic food staples and completing a full household restock. Joel’s $99.72 haul included items such as pasta, sauce, milk, cheese and meat, but it did not cover products including toilet paper, diapers, cleaning supplies, soap or other hygiene items. As a result, the amount a family spends on groceries can differ substantially based on its household needs and shopping list.
The video also shows why comparisons of grocery affordability can be difficult. Brand selection, product quality and the decision to purchase food instead of household goods all affected the result of Joel’s challenge. The broader debate in the comments centered on whether the haul represented typical grocery costs or a carefully limited purchase of lower-priced staples.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Joel earn the $100?
Joel said he spent eight hours delivering Walmart grocery orders as a side hustle to earn the money.
How much did Joel spend on groceries?
His Walmart grocery total came to $99.72, just under his $100 budget.
Was the grocery haul independently verified?
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify Joel’s side-hustle income or the circumstances surrounding his grocery purchases. The details of the eight-hour delivery shift and the $99.72 haul are based solely on @joelhustle’s TikTok video.